By Peggy Oliver

As a forerunner in one of the most powerful and influential music ministries in the last twenty years, Judith Christie McAllister has been dubbed by many as The First Lady of Praise & Worship. During her childhood, McAllister was quite familiar with singing all the familiar hymns. Though she was grateful to be exposed to church service on a daily basis, the praise and worship environment seemed a bit strict at times. McAllister was also the product of a classically trained background as she graduated from The High School of the Performing Arts in New York City at sixteen years of age. Sometimes McAllister and her siblings would sneak time late at night to play recordings from gospel great Andrae Crouch and Earth, Wind & Fire – the groundbreaking R&B ensemble she admired for their musical excellence in blending funk, world rhythms and crisp funky arrangements. Those treasured moments eventually helped shaped her uncompromising beliefs in demonstrating pure quality music and high integrity in all phases of worship. McAllister’s first major experience was a featured vocalist with Richard Roberts’ (Oral Roberts’ son) television program; a moment that equipped her to join West Angeles COGIC’s ministry team. Eventually, Blake appointed McAllister to executive director of Music & Worship Arts department at West Angeles. Their 3-CD series in the nineties entitled Saints in Praise (Sparrow Records) illustrated how excellence played a critical role for mass choir praise and worship in the African American church community.

 

McAllister’s first two solo projects, Send Judah First (2001) and Raise the Praise (2003), were released under her Judah Music imprint. Her third entry from 2006, In His Presence (Artemis/Light Records), produced several ready made praise busters for the radio such as “Bless the Lord Oh My Soul” and the remix of “Like the Dew.” Her latest release Sound the Trumpet was recorded three years ago yet was finally released in late August. The title track is already making noise on the Top 40 Gospel Charts (Ezekiel 33:1-7, i.e.) declaring to believers in putting on the armor of God and joining His army. The horn section wastes no time exercising a full EW&F workout. “I Will Sing” (Psalms 89:1) is an anthem that recalls the seventies and eighties arena rock era. McAllister gives plenty of room to fellow music ministers throughout Sound the Trumpet; beginning with T.C. Bereal, Jr. on the Caribbean spiced “Fire!” (Deuteronomy 4:24, Acts 2:1-3). Then she passes the baton to Michael Pugh whose elegant tenor voice adds shear beauty to Fanny Crosby's “Draw Me Nearer” (Hebrews 10:22). McAllister spins her arrangement of a twenty-first century popular hymn, “How Great Is Our God” (Psalms 95:3), sprinkling in a chorus from the 19^th century counterpart “How Great Thou Art.” “Thank You for the Healing” (Malachi 4:2, Psalm 107:1) is a perfect textbook in facing daily storms: “Searching for the source of your pain in all the wrong places.” Markita Knight delivers a sensitive co-lead vocal while Delandria Wells’ flute fills the spaces with that calming presence.

 

Following suit with her previous three projects, McAllister’s remains true to her resilient soprano voice on Sound the Trumpet. Her voice may not possess all the proficiency or technical skills. Yet in the long run, it does not fully matter because the honesty behind the voice exudes a confidence in what she was entrusted to do – leading Christians into the deepest praise and worship territory zone possible.

 

Peggy Oliver

The Urban Music Scene